What is the Formula 1 driver path? Have you ever thought about what F1 drivers racing on TV can be like? what if you want to be a pilot?
When we say formula 1, we think of super cars, challenging tracks, adrenaline and an incredible competitive event. Our high school years were crowned with the unforgettable rivalry between two super pilots, Mika Hakkinen and Michael Schumacher. I did a research in their memory and tried to find an answer to the question of how to become a formula 1 pilot.
The rough way to enter Formula 1 is for drivers to switch from karting to small single-seater vehicles such as f3 and f2, be over 18 years old, have a driver’s license and eventually find a place in a formula 1 team.
How simple isn’t it? Contrary to popular belief, business does not work this way. Formula 1 has for many years been considered the pinnacle of all motorsport. therefore, most racing drivers dream of racing in this elite series. however, only 20 places are available within this race lineup and are occupied by the best of the best. It is not easy to overcome the road due to this, and it should not be forgotten that formula 1 is an extremely brutal sport.
It is imperative that there are some indispensable features in people who will travel this path.
1. ability
Of course, the most important thing and the first thing you will need is talent. These 20 racing seats in Formula 1 are reserved for the best in the world. you won’t see a driver out there who isn’t good at what he does (there can be some questionable drivers in this as with anything). but the truth is that to go that far, your talent must be legendary. Therefore, it will have a significant impact on your career if you participate in small motor sports such as karting at the age of 8 to 14, improve your racing skills and compete in this group for about 10 years. i.e. it will show which drivers are better and have a lot of potential.
2nd coin
Unfortunately, talent alone is not always enough. Which brings us to arguably the most important factor to consider. Motorsport is an expensive sport. as long as we go on this road until we reach formula 1
The figures we will spend will be unbelievably high. I can roughly say that motorsport is a business and if you want to drive a car, you have to own it, and you have to have money for mechanical problems and other things. For this reason, many drivers cannot reach the formula 1 level even if they are extremely talented. You may immediately think of why we don’t find sponsors, but many pilots do not get paid from a team to continue their racing life, let alone finding sponsors. Coming to roughly how much money we’ll spend (the numbers I’ve found may be outdated, I warn you in advance) it’s around $50,000 to $100,000 for karting races, $200,000 to $400,000 for formula bmw races, $300,000 to $500,000 for gp3 races, and $500,000 to 1,000,000 for gp2 races.
3. eligibility
By fitness, I mean you must be completely fit in mind and body. because today’s formula 1 drivers are the best athletes. most of them are super fit and to stay fit we can see them in various athletic competitions and sports between racing seasons. This is because a standard Formula 1 car is subjected to 5g of force when it enters a corner. so they need to be both strong and resilient in order to complete the whole race. Especially in very hot races, since the inside of the cockpit gets overheated, they lose about 3 kg of fluid in one race. In addition, although Formula 1 vehicles have power steering, strong arms are required to control the vehicle in long races. to improve hand-eye coordination, concentration and reaction time, pilots often add different exercises to their exercises. In short, to be a formula 1 driver, you need to have a clear, cool, competitive mentality and 750 – 800 horsepower and endurance like a formula 1 car (by the way, horsework was a joke).
F1 Driver Daniel Ricciardo’s Training Ritual
4. time and sacrifice
Being a racing driver takes a lot of time and requires a lot of sacrifice even if you are not at the formula 1 level. First, you’ll give up your weekends to compete. On top of that, some racing series will require you to travel. After the races, you will most likely analyze their data to see where you went wrong and what you can improve. You will even follow other racers. At the same time, as I explained above, you will go to the gym or training to maintain your fitness. you will also be preparing for your next race; maybe you can do some simulation races. you have to attend the meetings of the sponsors or your team. In the midst of all that, you’re going to have to sacrifice your time with friends and family.
After learning so much, let’s look at the other parts of the job, first of all, you need to have a super license. So what is a super license: also known as a fia super license, it is a license that allows the licensee to compete in the formula 1 world championship.
Here are the basic requirements to get your super license
– over 18 years old
– international class a competition license holder
– valid driver’s license in your country
– pass a fia theory test on formula 1 sporting regulations
– complete 80% of two seasons in qualifying single-seater championships – 40 supers
accumulated over 3 seasons in any qualifying championship You must have a license score.
racing series that qualify for super license points
fia formula 2
indycar
fia formula 3
fia formula e
european formula 3
fia world endurance championship – lmp1
formula regional european championship
super formula championship
fia world endurance championship – lmp2
deutsche tourenwagen masters
super gt
f3 asian championship
f3 american championship
signature prototypes
world touring car cup
super cars championship
nascar mug series
indy lights
formula renault europcup
w series
euroformula open
super formula lights
formula 4 championships
asia le mans series prototypes
european le mans series prototypes
fia world endurance series – lmge pro
fia world endurance series – lmgte amateur
f3 asian championship winter series
national formula 3 series
formula mazda
nascar xfinity series
toyota racing series
international gt3 series
fia karting world championship – seniors
fia karting continental championship – seniors
fia karting world championship juniors
fia karting continental championship juniors
You will impress at the races here so that the sponsors and teams will start to take care of you.
Speaking of teams, many teams also have driver academy. these academies scout for new young drivers and train them to get into formula 1 teams and help them pass some ranks, sort of train their own future drivers. Of course, in order to enter here, you must have done most of the things I mentioned above. So having a seat in the formula 1 team is what many drivers dream of. Reaching the pinnacle of motorsport is no easy task, and it certainly isn’t cheap either. You will need extreme focus and dedication and the talent to match.
good luck in advance…
4. time and sacrifice
Being a racing driver takes a lot of time and requires a lot of sacrifice even if you are not at the formula 1 level. First, you’ll give up your weekends to compete. On top of that, some racing series will require you to travel. After the races, you will most likely analyze their data to see where you went wrong and what you can improve. You will even follow other racers. At the same time, as I explained above, you will go to the gym or training to maintain your fitness. you will also be preparing for your next race; maybe you can do some simulation races. you have to attend the meetings of the sponsors or your team. In the midst of all that, you’re going to have to sacrifice your time with friends and family.
After learning so much, let’s look at the other parts of the job, first of all, you need to have a super license. So what is a super license: also known as a fia super license, it is a license that allows the licensee to compete in the formula 1 world championship.
Here are the basic requirements to get your super license
– over 18 years old
– international class a competition license holder
– valid driver’s license in your country
– pass a fia theory test on formula 1 sporting regulations
– complete 80% of two seasons in qualifying single-seater championships – 40 supers
accumulated over 3 seasons in any qualifying championship You must have a license score.
racing series that qualify for super license points
fia formula 2
indycar
fia formula 3
fia formula e
european formula 3
fia world endurance championship – lmp1
formula regional european championship
super formula championship
fia world endurance championship – lmp2
deutsche tourenwagen masters
super gt
f3 asian championship
f3 american championship
signature prototypes
world touring car cup
super cars championship
nascar mug series
indy lights
formula renault europcup
w series
euroformula open
super formula lights
formula 4 championships
asia le mans series prototypes
european le mans series prototypes
fia world endurance series – lmge pro
fia world endurance series – lmgte amateur
f3 asian championship winter series
national formula 3 series
formula mazda
nascar xfinity series
toyota racing series
international gt3 series
fia karting world championship – seniors
fia karting continental championship – seniors
fia karting world championship juniors
fia karting continental championship juniors
You will impress at the races here so that the sponsors and teams will start to take care of you.
Speaking of teams, many teams also have driver academy. these academies scout for new young drivers and train them to get into formula 1 teams and help them pass some ranks, sort of train their own future drivers. Of course, in order to enter here, you must have done most of the things I mentioned above. So having a seat in the formula 1 team is what many drivers dream of. Reaching the pinnacle of motorsport is no easy task, and it certainly isn’t cheap either. You will need extreme focus and dedication and the talent to match.
good luck in advance…
Would love to join um in zimbambwe have passion in it
Hello,
You have an error in your article, accindetaly you doubled the point 4.
Hello,
Thanks for your constructive criticism.